Date:         Thu, 4 Jan 2001 12:09:00 -0600
Reply-To:     Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
Subject:      Re: BEHR aftermarket air conditioning system.
Comments: To: "1980 VW Westfalia \"Pokey\"" <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
In-Reply-To:  <005701c0765a$ba46a4e0$51507018@yec1.on.wave.home.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 09:29 AM 1/4/01 -0500, 1980 VW Westfalia \"Pokey\" wrote:
>Does anyone know of an aftermarket air conditioner that will work on an air
>cooled van? Any sources to buy one new or used?
>Not as off season a question as it appears, it fits squarely in the realm of
>winter projects.
Not to burst anyones bubble, but the BEHR (or any other) add-on kit is not
a good idea.  I had one of these on TURD when I got her and I'm still
trying to correct stuff.  You will have to loose the glove box to
accommodate the evaporator housing, loose your radio to a needed center
vent, kiss your fresh-air intakes goodbye, live with frostbitten toes in
the winter since there is no such thing as a leak-proof add-on A/C unit,
and somehow deal with the compressor needing a huge hole cut in the much
needed engine tin.  The fact that the tin needs to be cut should stop most
air-cooled owners in their tracks.  the added strain of an A/C unit, plus
the loss of cooling by having a square foot of metal removed in the worst
possible spot, will lead to early and frequent engine failures.

If your traveling into drier climes try a swamp cooler, they do really
work.  If your traveling around Ontario, lower the windows, open the vents,
buy a fan, and be glad your not in Texas (nothing against Texas other than
the heat in the summer) or Mississippi or any other tropically weathered
location.